Want to win on trust, not price? Download our Trust Checklist and see exactly how top HVAC companies build authority and close higher-quality deals.
👉 https://bit.ly/the-heatpump-trust-checklist
Go a click deeper with Chris Morin’s 15-Point HVAC System Design Audit to uncover gaps in your process and unlock greater efficiency.
👉 https://wkf.ms/3XyFp92
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If you’re serious about doing better work and staying ahead in high-performance contracting, the BPA National Home Performance Conference is the place to be. It’s happening April 13 – 16 in Columbus, Ohio, and it’s built around real lessons, practical strategies, and ideas you can actually use back on the job.
Use the discount code NHPC-HPP to save on registration.
👉 Register here: http://nhpc26.org/amply
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Chris Morin is the founder of HVAC Pro Blog, an ACCA system design instructor, and one of the few people in the industry who trains both contractors and building inspectors. In this episode, he makes a compelling case for why aggressive load calculations, code compliance, and building inspector relationships aren't just good building science — they're how you grow a more profitable business. We also dig into duct design fundamentals, the oversizing trap, and why "I never get callbacks" is the most dangerous metric in HVAC.
Expect to Learn
- Half of contractors aren't doing load calcs — and a significant share of the half that do aren't doing them accurately. An aggressive Manual J is the foundation for everything.
- "No callbacks" is a dangerous metric. The real measure of success is a maintenance customer who calls you back every season — and refers you to their neighbors.
- Building inspectors aren't the enemy. The contractors who build relationships with them and meet code requirements end up with less competition and higher margins.
- Oversizing for the coldest 1% of the year creates problems during the other 98%. Variable speed technology helps, but it doesn't fix bad design.
- System design isn't an overhead cost — it's a service you charge for that separates your proposal from the low bidder's guess.
Timestamps
[00:00] – Episode Teaser
[02:26] – Meet Chris Morin: Marine Vet to HVAC Pro
[07:25] – Lessons from Utility Programs: Good vs. Bad Contractors
[16:13] – Why Most Contractors Are Failing at Load Calcs
[22:17] – The Danger of “No Callback = Success”
[25:04] – Ductless Oversizing: A Growing Problem
[28:57] – Manual D and the Realities of Duct Design
[38:41] – Behind the Code: Working With Building Inspectors
[47:06] – Contractor vs. Inspector: Building a Municipal Monopoly
[50:38] – Design = Profit: Turning Standards into Sales
[53:34] – Free Resources & Chris’s Masterclass
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